


Worth Waiting For

by Esty111



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Childbirth, Cullen would be the best dad, F/M, Fluff, Parenthood, Pregnancy, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-22
Updated: 2015-06-22
Packaged: 2018-04-05 17:17:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4188270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esty111/pseuds/Esty111
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Commander and the Inquisitor have been waiting for this day for nine months. It is finally time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worth Waiting For

**Author's Note:**

> This has been rolling around in my head for the longest time and wouldn't go away so here you go. Bam.

He had been running training exercises with the troops in one of the camps right outside the fortress when it happened. He heard the horse's hooves before he saw one of Leliana's people ride into the camp right towards him.                  

"Commander! It's time!"

He needed no clarification. His sword and shield dropped to the ground with a loud clank as he ran towards his horse and swiftly mounted the beast and kicked his heels to its side to spur it on. He heard the shouts of congratulations from his soldiers behind him; he grinned like a fool but did not look back.

He was soon riding into the courtyard of Skyhold, his groom already waiting to take the reins. He jumped down from the horse at the bottom of the stone steps and made his way up.   

His boots clanked against stone as he picked up his pace, barging through the wooden door that led to the main hall. People were already gathering there, the news having spread about the keep in no time at all. Nobles, soldiers, workers, all of them smiled at him as he darted passed them and towards the entrance to their quarters. Taking the stairs two at a time he reached the small group gathered at the final door with impressive speed.

"How....how long has it been?" He panted heavily from both excitement and exhaustion.

"Not too long. Cassandra, Leliana and Josephine were up there with her when it happened. You and the healers were sent for immediately," Dorian explained.

"Has anything happened?" He was itching to throw the door open and see her, be there with her. But he knew he couldn't. Not yet.

"One of the servants stepped out a few minutes ago. Told us that she was in bed and doing well. A little nervous but that's all," Blackwall summarized calmly.

"Ha! A little nervous my ass! You couldn't pay me to do what she has to do right now!" Bull laughed as he patted Cullen's back a couple of times.

"Me neither. I bet her ladybits won't like it one bit!" Sera half-shrieked, half cackled. 

"Have you heard anything?" Nerves were starting to pool in his stomach, the initial wave of excitement slowly ebbing away and concern seeping into every pore of his body.

"Nothing yet, but don't you worry Curly. She'll be cursing your name soon enough," Varric assured him.

Cullen took a deep breath and moved towards the door. He pressed his ear against the wood and tried to make out whatever sound he could but all he heard was some bustling, rustling and mummers. He turned around and rested against the doorway. 

His friends looked at him with affectionate smiles on their faces and he could tell they were all as excited as he was. Well, not _as_ excited as him. Not one soul in all of Thedas was excited as the Commander of the Inquisition was at that moment.

"Scared. Happy. Worried. In love. He or she is almost here. Pushing, pushing, pressure. Pain but the best kind of pain there is. My eyes? His smile? Come out little one. I want to see you. Your father wants to hold you."

All eyes turned to Cole crouching in the corner, a small smile on his face.

"Cole! Is she alright?" Cullen almost flew towards the boy.

"She is scared but she is happy to be scared. She knows the pain will be worth it. For you, for her. A new life. A bright star, shinning, high above the rest."

For the first time since knowing the strange boy Cullen understood exactly what he was talking about.

A bright star.

He smiled widely and Cole smiled in return.

A sharp cry from the room above broken the momentary calm.

Cullen jumped back towards the door and this time he heard much more noise.

"It hurts!" He heard his wife's muffled voice and it took all of his self control not to slam the door open and rush to her. Dorian was at his side in an instant, a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"She is strong Cullen. She will get through this and you'll be holding your child in your arms soon enough."

Cullen took another deep breath and let his head drop as he tried to regain his calm.

"Thank you Dorian. I just....if something happens... I..." he could not finish the sentence. He would not allow himself to think any further on such a thing.

"The Boss will be fine! She's taken down dragons with a bow and arrow. You've got nothing to worry about," the Qunari took his turn at comforting the father to be but there was a slight hint of worry in his voice as well.

"Thank you. All of you. For being here." Cullen turned to his companions once again, a smile creeping back to his face.

This was a happy day. He would banish all dark thoughts from his mind.

****************************************

They waited in silence, nerves and emotions wound as tight as Evelyn's bow right before she released an arrow from it. An hour went by and then two. Cullen paced back and forth, only stopping when a servant popped her head out every once in a while to inform them of what they already knew; her labor was slow but she was doing well.

By the fourth hour they could hear the noise from the large crowd that had assembled in the Main Hall. The people of Skyhold were waiting for news of the Inquisitor's and the Commander's child; he could only guess how many bottles of wine had been consumed already.

Half way through the fifth hour Evelyn began to yell. Really yell. Every groan and yelp of pain he heard through the door made him cringe as he hated the fact that she was in so much pain while he was just standing there doing nothing. 

After one particularly loud screech his hand flew to the door handle but he was quickly stopped by Blackwall.

"I need to go to her! She needs me!" Cullen insisted. _He_ was her husband. He _needed_ to be there for her.

"It'll be over soon. Just a little longer and-"

A wail, a clear sharp cry of a baby rang through the air and Cullen's heart stopped beating. His child was born. He and Evelyn's child was in the world.

His feet were glued to the ground, eyes fixed on the door, waiting for someone to open it and tell him that he could finally see the loves of his life.

After what seemed like an eternity the hinges creaked open and Cullen didn't wait for an invitation before charging forward and running up the final flight of stairs. When he stepped into their room he had eyes for no one other than the woman sitting on the bed with a small bundle in her arms.

Evelyn looked up, beaming with a smile brighter than the sun, tears lingering in her eyes. Cullen barely noticed Josephine, Cassandra and Leliana walk past him with words of warm congratulations and the healers and midwife bustling out of the room to give the new parents a private moment.

He walked towards her with slow and deliberate steps, wonder overwhelming him at the sight before him. Eyes wide and mouth half open he lowered himself onto the bed beside his wife. Evelyn leaned into him, pressing her side against his and resting her head on his shoulder.

She looked worn and tired; her face a little swollen from stress, her hair mussed and sweaty in a braid that was falling apart. Her shoulders were slumped over and she was pale compared to her usually rosy complexion. And to Cullen she had never looked more beautiful.

Evelyn moved her gaze from her husband to her child as she rocked back and forth ever so gently.

"Cullen, we have a son," she said quietly.    

His breath was knocked out of him with those five simple, magnificent words.

He had a son. He was a father. The broken down Templar of several years ago could never have imagined something so wonderful happening to him.

Cullen took his gloves off and ever so gently brought one hand to rest on his son's head. The sparse blond hairs he felt made his smile and he stroked his hand back and forth several times. The baby stirred a little under his father's touch. Evelyn sighed contentedly. Cullen kissed the top of her hair as he wrapped his unoccupied arm around her shoulder. Neither stopped looking at their child.

"He's perfect," Cullen murmured.

"Yes, he is."

"How do you feel?"

"Exhausted, but unbelievably happy."

"You are amazing. I wish I could have been here with you."

"Hhmm. I love you now but I don't think I loved you when I was pushing him out. You might have gotten a slap if you were beside me."

"I wouldn't have minded that," he chuckled.

The baby moved in his mother's arms; eyes closed, faced scrunched up, little arms trying to stretch. Both parents grinned, the small movements solidifying that the baby was really there.

"We need to give him a name," Evelyn said as she lifted the baby's hand up to kiss it.

"Do you still like the one we talked about before?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then Damien Cedric Rutherford it is."

"Damien Cedric Rutherford," Evelyn repeated back. "It suits him, and my father will be happy to be included."

"Yes, he will be."

Damien whimpered then, a sound which quickly turned into a cry and Evelyn shifted to try and sooth him. Her cooing did nothing to alleviate his distress so Evelyn tried a different tactic.

"You're hungry, aren't you love?" She asked her son, her voice a bit higher than usual as she pushed her robe off her shoulder and attempted to feed the baby.

Cullen watched in awe as his son missed several attempts to latch on to his mother's breast but when he eventually succeed Cullen could have sworn her had never seen any sight more beautiful in his life.      

Mother and father watched Damien nurse, the room quiet, warm and content. When he had his fill, the baby let go of his mother's breast and settled back into her arms with a small yawn.

"I love him so much already," Evelyn mused.

"As do I."

 Evelyn tried to say something else but instead she let out a long, deep yawn.

"You should sleep, darling."

"I don't want to let him go."

"You will do him no good if you're exhausted. He will need his mother more than anyone. I will take care of him while you rest, and after we can spend all the time in the world fawning over him," Cullen said as Evelyn reluctantly handed Damien over to him.

As he held his son in his arms for the first time, Cullen felt overwhelmed with emotion. His eyes watered and Evelyn squeezed him arm gently. Cullen leaned over and kissed and their lips met in a soft, long kiss. Cullen then rose off the bed as Evelyn settled into the mattress more comfortably. He could tell she was already half asleep.

"Bring him back as soon as you can," she requested, eyes closed and head buried in the pillow.

"I'll introduce him to all his aunts and uncles then I'll bring him right back. Now go to sleep my love."   

A low hum was her only response. Cullen stepped away from the bed and walked towards the stairs towards where their friends were waiting, eyes never leaving Damien and the biggest grin plastered on his face. He was about to take the first step down when his wife called to him.

"Cullen?"

"Yes, darling?" He turned his gaze in her direction.

"I love you."

"And I love you," he responded.

"We are so lucky." She sounded blissful, content, and he knew without a doubt she fell asleep the moment the words left her mouth.

She was right. After everything they has been through, everything they had done, they were beyond fortunate to have such a perfect gift given to them.

Cullen looked down at his son once again and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"Yes, we are."

 

 

 


End file.
